The temporary 40-bed facility will be staffed by personnel from Southeastern Pennsylvania Surge Medical Assistance Response Team (SEPA SMART).
The site is being set up inside Suburban Community Hospital on Dekalb Pike in East Norriton, and hospital CEO Matt Shelak said they were able to offer space inside the hospital because they have underutilized beds that’s on an old maternity ward.
Shelak said they’re lucky to have SEPA SMART right in their backyard.
“They’re able to come in and assist us, whether it’s with equipment, human resources to assist with staffing or anything else we might need,” he said.
He said having space in already existing hospital rooms not only saves the team from having to set up a tent outside, but also provides teams with resources they need.
“There’s already oxygen in the walls, so that’s another resource they don’t have to supply. We have our own environmental services — cleaning services they don’t have to provide. Dietary services we can provide at the hospital,” Shelak explained.
Shelak said the extra beds can be for patients with COVID-19 or for patients from other hospitals that could get overwhelmed.
Montgomery County cases
Montgomery County has 62 coronavirus-related deaths, with 13 being announced Friday. With an additional 193 new positive cases, the county has now had 1,695 cases since the start in early March.
County Commissioner Val Arkoosh said she thinks we could be heading into the peak.
“It’s an educated guess but my guess is we are moving into the peak just based on what we’re seeing in terms of numbers, it does seem like we are moving,” she said.
She said thanks to stay-at-home orders, closed schools, and social distancing, there are hospital beds available in the county.
“It is tightening a little bit but all of our hospitals still have regular and ICU beds available, which is extremely good news,” she said.
But Arkoosh said it can all be undone quickly if people don’t keep social distancing and following the stay-at-home orders.